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Don Robinson began working for Papa John's pizza when he was 16.
At the time, the company had only three locations, but the
high-schooler was so impressed by the operation that he tried to
become one of the company's first franchisees.

Papa John's wasn't ready for that, so 30 days after graduating in
1987, Robinson opened his own pizza restaurant in Corydon, Ind.
He ran his shop for 13 years, expanding to four locations. But he
yearned for a change of pace. "The pizza business was nights and
weekends, and I wanted a different life," he says.

A friend introduced him to Craig Dunaway, owner of four Penn Station East Coast Subs shops. The
two hit it off, became partners and expanded to 14 units. But
after a decade, Robinson wanted another shot at independent
restaurant ownership, so he quit Penn Station and developed a
chicken restaurant called Cluckers. It expanded to three
locations, but Robinson wasn't satisfied. The relationship
with his partners wasn't as rewarding as his time with Dunaway
had been. Developing a concept was extremely stressful, and he
realized that being a franchisee played to his strengths.
Robinson sold Cluckers to his partners and rejoined Dunaway at
Penn Station. Now they have 15 locations in the Louisville,
Ky., area.

We talked to Robinson about the difference between independent
ownership and franchising.

Why did you build--then leave--Cluckers?
Everyone wants to open a restaurant, but not everyone understands
what goes into owning one. I was inexperienced when I first owned
my pizza places. I had no budget, and I was just winging it. But
I was young and could outwork my problems at that point.

When I started Cluckers, I didn't appreciate what truly goes into
building a concept. You have to develop support systems; there's
real intricacy to building a menu. You have to negotiate
contracts with vendors and design the kitchen. I think those
things get lost when comparing independents to franchises. When
you're a franchisee, you're not reinventing the wheel. When
you're an independent you can't call up corporate or a fellow
franchisee to help guide you through all the decisions you have
to make.

I realized that a franchise system is better for my management
style. I'm an operator; I have been since I was 18. I'm great at
building a team and creating a culture and developing personnel.
One of my weak-nesses is the back end. Franchising lets you do
what you do well and gives you guidance on what you don't do
well.

Did your franchise experience influence
Cluckers?
It was absolutely a model for Cluckers. I took a lot of what I
learned at Penn Station and applied it. We opened at high volumes
at all three of our locations, and I think the policies and
procedures I learned from Penn allowed us to do that. The problem
was, I thought I had the time and wherewithal to run one
restaurant. But we had such success out of the gate that we
quickly opened two more equally successful units. That's when my
partners and I realized we had different management styles.

Has the restaurant world changed since you
started?
Definitely. I think if you want to have the opportunity for
success you have to have a well-thought-out plan. You have to
prepare yourself heading in. Back in the late '80s and early '90s
you could wing it, because the chains weren't as strong. Now, if
you want any chance at success, you have to think like a chain
and work like an independent. It's really tough. There are fewer
and fewer successful independents fighting for the same dollars
as the chains these days.

How has independent ownership influenced the way you run
the franchise?
Penn Station was developed to have the owner behind the counter.
We preach the ownership mentality all the way down to the general
manager level. We give our managers the chance to operate our
stores like owners. They enjoy the rewards of shared profit when
things go well, and they feel the pain if they schedule someone
making $10 an hour longer than they should. I understand, because
I've been there--I know the joys and heartache of ownership.

Do you think you'll get the itch to open another
independent restaurant?
Absolutely not. I went out and found myself and realized I had to
get back to franchising. I'm a true franchisee at heart.